Hinge device



Nov. 27, 1962 R: E. JOHNSON HINGE DEVICE Filed Dec.

United States Patent Ofilice 3,665,498 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 3,665,498 HINGE DEVEQE Robert E. Johnson, Marne, Mich, assignor to Jervis (Zorporation, Grandville, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 353,941

2 Claims. (Cl. 16166) The present invention comprises a novel and useful hinge structure. More particularly the invention relates to a hinge structure wherein a first straight line movement is obtained during limited pivoting, and then an arcuate movement is acquired coordinated with a second limited pivoting. Still more particularly the invention relates to a hinge device wherein the above specific movement is achieved as between adjacent stacked doors using a single hinge plate therebetween having concentric arcuate guide paths.

A wide variety of hinge devices are well known in the prior art. Some of these devices are aimed at concealment and'others of the devices seek to obtain compound movement using sliding plural pivots and the like. The present invention falls into that class of hinges employing plural pivots but in a selected manner to obtain a selected operational result in cabinet installations. The result long sought after is a hinge which upon initial pivoting at the door face translates the pivotal action into movement of the door away from the door facing on the hinge side, then upon a predetermined amount of swing allows rotation from a new pivot position in a guided are successfully presenting the edge of the door so as to follow a path not interfering with the extended plane of the cabinet side adjacent the hinge. This must be done with subtlety inasmuch as the purchasing public, if it discerns translation of movement, considers the hinge defective. Thus, transition as between translation of door movement and pivoting must be ultra-smooth and the hinge must be simple and ruggedly durable. Finally, it has long been the desire of the hinge industry to devise such a hinge meeting the requirements of flush mounting wherein the upper and lower hinges could be attached to the outer periphery of the cabinet door along the hinge edge and the respective lower hinge of an upper door and the upper hinge of a lower door could be coordinated in movement by a common hinge plate and involving simple interconnection.

Accordingly, it is among the objects of the present invention to provide a hinge set of binge plate and butt plate wherein the interrelationship between the plates provides for an initial lineal movement of the door mounted plate outwardly and across the door face during limited initial pivoting and subsequent arcuate controlled travel from a second pivot position.

Another object is to provide such a described movement in hinges where the transition between pure lineal movement and arcuate pivoting is not discernible in the smooth flow of the door on the hinges.

Still another object is to provide a hinge set wherein the upper hinge of a lower door and a lower hinge of an upper in-line adjacent door are coordinated in movement on an intermediate hinge member.

Another object is to provide a hinge mechanism of the character described wherein two pivots are involved in each hinge set, one of said pivots movable first lineally and then arcuately, the other of said pivots moving lineally and pivotally at a constant fixed spacing interval from the first pivot. 1

Other objects including the provision of a ruggedly simple hinge, maintaining an immediate relief to gasket scuff adjacent the hinge line, and avoidance of interference outside of the plane of the associated cabinet, combined with economy and simplicity, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the hinge field as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating a hinge in accord with the present invention as applied to a gasketed door and indicating the relative location of the hinge in respect to the door and cabinet.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge illustrated in FIGURE 1 and showing the cooperation between the hinge butt plate and the leaf plate.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view of a center hinge as located between adjacent top and bottom doors.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation assembly view of the center hinge shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic plan view of the hinge illustrated in FIGURE 1 and indicating the extremes of travel and the trace of the gasket movement from the cabinet face.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view layout on an enlarged scale illustrating the movement of the gasket with the hinge of the present invention using both a forty-five degree lift movement and a sixty degree lift movement in avoidance of gasket-scuff.

General Description in general the present hinge structure comprises a pair of cooperating plates. One of the plates, the butt plate, is secured to a cabinet face and extends therefrom. The other of said plates, the leaf or door plate, is attached to the upper and lower edges of the door. On assembly of the door to the cabinet the two plates cooperate by reason of a pin extending from the butt plate into a straight slot in the leaf plate, and a second pin extending from the leaf plate into a guideway established in the butt plate. The guideway defined by the butt plate is ofiset from the position of the first pin and moves in a straight line oblique to the line location of the first pin. Then the guideway merges in a true arc about the center of the first pin. Such an arrangement makes possible an extremely simple center hinge (for use between two adjacent doors), since a center butt plate can thus be employed where a common pin serves both an upper and lower cooperating leaf and wherein parallel spaced apart grooves or guideways in the center butt receive the leaf pins, respectively, of the upper and lower leaf plates. In this manner, the outside hinges of doors employing the hinges of the present invention are coordinated very simply with the center hinge.

The hinge movement, as will be appreciated is a first lift outward from the door face as the door leaf pin climbs the "straight line portion of the guideway and pivoting the while on the pin of the butt plate as the pin shifts its position lineally in the slot of the leaf plate. By this time, the actual pivotal action on the butt plate pin has avoided permitting the door from extending beyond the line or plane of the cabinet side. The balance of the pivotal movement of the door is arcuate, the leaf pin traveling in controlled relationship in the guideway. The arcuate portion of the guideway is on a true radius from the butt pin center. As will be appreciated, the installation of the hinges is extremely simple and avoids interference with any peripheral gasket positioning and does not require elaborate strap connections. The device has high utility in refrigerator cabinets, freezers and the like gasketed cabinets wherein the cabinet or door carries the gasket material.

Specific Description Referring to the drawing, and most particularly to FIGURE 1, a hinge in accord with the invention is illustrated comprising a butt plate 11, and a leaf plate 12, the butt plate 11 being attached to a cabinet facing 13 and the leaf plate 12 being attached to the door 14 along the fastening methods.

hinge edge thereof as shown. The butt plate 11 and the leaf plate 12 cooperate in accomplishing a first movement which is outward during initial pivoting, and thereafter on a fixed radius as indicated schematically in FIGURES and 6. Cooperation between the hinge members occurs by reason of the first pivot pin 15 fixed on the butt plate 11 and extending therefrom to engage in a straight slot 16 provided in and defined by the leaf plate 12. The slot 16 extends at right angle to the cabinet facing 13 when the door 14 is in the closed position. Thus, it will be appreciated that the door 14 can move outward from the facing '13 at the hinge side to the extent of'the travel of the first pin 15 in the straight slot 16. The principal axis of the straight slot 16 is perpendicular to the door facing. Inasmuch as the door 14 also can pivot on the pin 15, it is desirable to control the pivotal motion in such a way as to obtain maximum relief as between door 14 and'cabinet face 13 through a minimum degree of initial pivot without sacrificing smooth transitional flow and while avoiding a shift of the door 14 outside of a plane extended from the cabinet side '17. This is accomplished by use of a guide pin 18 which extends from the leaf plate 1 2 and into the guideway 19 defined in the butt plate 11. When the door 14 is in the closed position, as shown in FIGURE 1, the guide pin 18 rests in the straight line portion 20 of the guide way 19' and on a center offset from the center of the first pivot projected to intersect the cabinet face 13 at right angles. The straight line slot portion 2% proceeds obtusely toward the projected center of the first pivot 15, the included angle at projected intersection being between about forty-five degrees and sixty degrees. The guideway 19 then follows an arcuate pathway 21 about the first pin, the center ofthe arcuate pathway being a true radius about the first pin center. In FIG- URE 6 the variance in path of a point in the door 14 at contact with the cabinet face 13 is illustrated in the extremes of path between forty-five degrees and sixty degrees. The diagonal path followed by the guide pin 18 in the straight line portion 20 of the guideway .19 provides controlled outward movement of the leaf plate 12 during initial pivoting on the first pin :15 during relative sliding movement of the pin 15 in the slot 16. At the outermost point of travel of the leaf plate 12 and door 14, the pivot pin 15 is fixed and the. door 14 follows a true radius swing guided in relative position by the guide pin 18 in the arcuate portion 21 of the guideway 19. In FIGURE 2, the assembly relationship as between the leaf plate 12 and the butt plate 11 is illustrated indicating the inter-relationship between the first pin 15 and its receiving slot 16 and the guide pin 18 in respect to the guideway 19. The mounting flange 22 provides a cabinet mounting means and attachment. to the cabinet is accomplished by aselected variety of known fastening means, not shown, as by welding or other well known In FIGURE 5, the gasket 23 is illustrated inv phantom line indicating its relative position in respect to the hinge line and extending peripherally around the face of the door 14- on cabinet 13, in close cont-act with each when the door 14 is in closed position. The hinge being externally located with respect to the door 14 causes no interference with the gasket seal.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 a modified form of the hinge shownin FIGURES 1 and 2 isillustrated for use in cooperation with the hinge of FIGURES land 2 Where adjacent top door 24 and bottom door 25 are provided with a common hinge line. Prior practice has required the use of two hinges in such positions, one applied to the top of the lower door and one applied to the bottom of the upper door. The present hinge structure accomplishes considerable economy of space oversuch arrangebetween the upper door 24 and the lower door 25. The butt plate 27 is provided with a transverse pin 30 which extends outward and in both directions from the plate 27. Two guideways 31 and 32 are also provided in the plate 27 which are in parallel spaced apart relation from each other, and each conforming in geometric relationship to the guideway 19 established in the butt plate 11 illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 previously described. An upper leaf plate 33 and, a lower leaf plate 34 are also provided for cooperating engagement with the butt plate 27. Like the leaf plate '12 described in FIGURES 1 and 2, the leaf plates 33 and34- are each provided with an extending guide pin 35 and 36 respectively, the guide pin 35 extending into the guideway 31 and the guide pin 36 extending into the guideway 32 of the butt plate 27. Slots 37 and 38 are provided, respectively, in'the leaf plates 33 and 34, each receiving the first pin 30 in registering relationship. As will be appreciated, the movement of either the upper door 24 or the lower door 25 utilizes the common pin 30' which retains its fixed position. Each 'door prescribes a controlled motion path defined by the respective guide pin in the respective guideway so that the movement is identical in both doors and coordinated with their respective outboard hinges in accord with FIGURES 1 and 2. FIGURE 4 illustrates the center hinge 26 intermediate the doors 24 and 25, the butt plate 27 being secured to the face 29 of the cabinet 28. Hardened spacer rings or washers 39 are interposed around the pin 30' and guide pins 35 and 36 between the leaf plates 33 and 34 and the center butt plate 27. This arrangement permits the spacers 39 to receive the thrust of the doors 24- and 25 during pivoting and provides a smooth swing with minimum friction as between the plates. Simple surface lubrication is adequate with this arrangement. Teflon washers or spacers 39 have proven very satisfactory as thrust receiving and sound dampening members.

In FIGURE 5 the hinge of the present invention, as described in FIGURES 1 and 2, is illustrated in its extreme closed position and open position in phantom-line and indicates the controlled movement of the leaf 12 in relation to the fixed butt plate 11. This figure also illustrates the lift path of the gasket 23 as the door 14 is opened. FIGURE 6 schematically shows the gasket path.

It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made in adapting mounting means for attachment of the hinges herein described to cabinets and the like. For example, the butt plates may be welded to the cabinet fixtures and the leaf plates may be concealed beneath the edge surfaces .of the doors. Likewise, right and left hand opening hinges are included in the spirit of the subject invention. In some instances the hinges may be used in fixing the leaf plate as a butt and employing the form of the described butt plate as the moving leaf. The guideways and pins are hardened metal and the use of anti-friction bearing roller units for the pins is contemplated where expense is not a material factor in construction consideration. Variations in'the slots =16, 37 and 38 from right angles tothe cabinet facing served have proved helpful where it is desired to compound the outward movement of the door with a side-shifting motion of the door.

In action, doors hung on the hingesof the present invention minimize scuff of the gasket, operate smoothly through the transition from straight line movement to arcuate movement and are easily installed in freezer and refrigerator cabinets. Fabrication of finished cabinets is greatly simplified and the hinge components are very amenable to mass fabrication.

Having thus described my invention, it will be appreciated that many improvements and modifications within the skill of the art are intended to be included within the spirit of the invention limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a center hinge as between two adjacent top and bottom doors; a fixed center butt plate having defined therein two parallel guideways each spaced apart from the other, said guideways including a first straight line portion and a subsequent arcuate portion; a first pin extending outwardly from both sides of said butt plate, said first pin being located on a radius established from plural points on said arcuate portions of said guideways in said fixed butt plate; a top movable leaf plate having defined therein a straight slot for receiving one extending portion of said first pin; a guide pin depending from said leaf plate and into one of said two guideways defined in said fixed plate; a bottom movable leaf plate in spaced apart registry with said top pleat plate and defining a straight line slot in register with the slot defined by said top plate and receiving said first pin of said fixed butt plate; and an upstanding guide pin extending from said bottom leaf plate and into guideway relationship with the other of said guideways, in said fixed center butt plate so that individually each leaf plate may be swung guidably on said butt plate in parallel coordinated paths in first movement limited by the length of said straight slot, and thereafter in an arcuate radial movement about said first pin.

2. Ina hinge structure for plural door appliance structures, the combination comprising:

(a) a center hinge positionable between adjacent doors and including:

(i) a fixed center butt plate having defined therein two parallel guideways each spaced apart from the other, said guideways including a first straight line portion and a subsequent arcuate portion;

(ii) a first pin extending transversely and outwardly from both sides of said butt plate, said first pin being located on a radius established from plural points on said arcuate portions of said guideways in said butt plate;

(iii) a top moveable leaf plate having defined therein a straight slot for receiving one extendi ing portion of said first pin;

(iv) a guide pin depending from said leaf plate and into one of said two guideways defined in said fixed butt plate;

(v) a bottom moveable leaf plate in spaced apart registry with said top leaf plate and defining a straight line slot in register with the slot defined by said top plate and receiving the other end of said extending first pin of said butt plate;

-(vi) an upstanding guide pin extending from said bottom leaf plate and into guideway relationship with the other of said guideways in said fixed center butt plate so that individually each leaf plate may be swung guideably on said butt plate in parallel coordinated paths in first movement limited by the length of said straight slot, and

- thereafter in an arcuate movement about said first pin;

(b) an upper hinge spacedly and registrably pivotable and moveable above said center hinge and including a pair of cooperating hinge members the moveable one of which is similar to said top moveable leaf and the fixed member of which is similar to said center fixed butt and having defined therein a single guideway in register with one of said two paralled spaced apart guideways in said fixed center butt plate; and

(c) a lower hinge spacedly and registrably pivotal and moveable beneath said center hinge and including a pair of cooperating hinge members, the moveable one of which is similar to said lower moveable leaf and the fixed member of which is similar to said center fixed butt and having defined therein a single guideway in register with the other of said two parallel spaced apart guideways in said fixed center butt plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

